need help: i baked a chocolate cake in a turbo broiler..

[tecfragata]

Hi, it's my first time to bake! really 1st time and i wanted to try chocolate cake, and i did. i used my turbo at 125 degrees for about 40 mins. it has been pre heated.. the taste was there. i expected the top to be somewhat toasted, though it's also convection cooking, the coil on top is the one heating it so i did got the expected result. however, it appeared to be thicker.. did i use less baking soda to make the cake fluffy? well, it is somehow moist, but it turned out like soft brownie.. what adjustment must i make the next time?

[C. Hamster]

what is a turbo broiler? And what broiler runs at 275?

[tecfragata]

it's usually for roasting chicken, or any meat..

[chefj]

https://www.google.com/search?q=turbo...

[pikawicca]

, too, have no idea what a "turbo broiler" is.

[chefj]

see the link provided above or simply search "turbo broiler"

[tecfragata]

oh ok, it's about 125C or 257F.. i just copied the recipe but then few ingredients were not available at my end so i used an alternative. so here are the ingredients i used:

100G Unsweetened chocolate
70G butter
2 eggs beaten
2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
3 tbsp. cocoa
2 cups sugar
2 cups milk

so i melted butter and unsweetened chocolate together in a saucepan under boiling water. once melted i removed it from heat.. i added sugar, and the rest of the ingredients. i just mixed it until it became smooth.. then i baked it..

[chefj]

That does not sound like a good recipe to me and your method is like none I have ever seen for Brownies or a Cake.
Try this Recipe It produces a classic Chocolate Butter Cake using the reverse creaming method.
http://communityfoodcoop.wordpress.co...

[tecfragata]

i know right! i really don't have the background.. i just wanted to bake a chocolate cake.. it's a good thing my husband still ate it.. hehe..well he doesnt have a good baking prowess as well.. but he liked the taste! anyway i'll check out the link! thanks chefj!

[chefj]

From your picture it looks like you did get some rise since the top is domed.
When it comes to Baking a good Recipe is pretty key unless you have a lot of training and a deep knowledge of the Chemistry behind it all.
Best of luck in your Baking endeavors

[sueatmo]

I don't understand turbo ovens, so I can't comment on that, but your recipe uses baking soda. Did you leave out the baking powder? Usually when baking soda is used by itself, you also add sour milk or vinegar to facilitate the rise.

[tecfragata]

the recipe actually calls for buttermilk but i used a full creme instead.. maybe you're right it myt be one of the factors..thanks:)

[C. Hamster]

Yes. Baking soda needs an acid to work so you can't sub out the buttermilk.

Baking powder is baking soda with a powdered acid mixed in.

[iluvcookies]

Besides the leavening issue, swapping out buttermilk (which nowadays is generally low-fat) with full cream really throws off the fat to liquid ratio.
A better sub for buttermilk is the equivalent volume of low-fat or whole milk plus 1T lemon juice or white vinegar.

I also think that baking the cake at 250F is way too low a temp.
So you had a poorly written recipe plus unsuitable substitutions.
If you are truly interested in baking chemistry, Shirley Corriher's books "Bakewise" and "Cookwise" explain it very well.

[sueatmo]

I agree about the temp, but OP used a different sort of oven than the norm. Perhaps the low temp was recommended for a cake?

Good point about the fat in buttermilk. Low fat yogurt, thinned a bit with any sort of milk, will also work as a sub.

Not sure if the OP is cooking in the USA, so perhaps buttermilk elsewhere is not necessarily low fat?

[iluvcookies]

Good point on the fat content of the buttermilk outside of the US. But even if the buttermilk were full-fat, subbing full cream would still affect the outcome.

I never tried the yogurt trick, only the soured milk, but that is a good suggestion.

There seems to be several factors affecting the outcome here--OP is using ingedient subs, a confusing recipe, and a different oven.

[tecfragata]

since i don't have an oven, and what's available is a turbo broiler which is not the norm as what you said, i cooked in a lower temp and a longer time.. guess i have to stick with the recipe.. 'know what it's great that i get to join forums like this.. i really have no knowledge of baking.. though i know u have the heart for it (cause i really love to cook for my family), i have to learn many many many many more things before i get it done the way i want it, and satisfy the taste buds of the people i serve with it.. salamat sa inyong lahat! (THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!) :)

[iluvcookies]

125 degrees? Farenheit? Celsius?

Cakes are usually baked around 325-350F (165-175C) so I'm trying to figure out that part of the equation.

Also, as chefj suggested, you'll need to post the recipe so we can help you figure out what happened.

[chefj]

You need to post the recipe for anyone to make an assessment.